The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) yesterday said it eliminated 300 Boko Haram/Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) fighters in the fringes of North East Lake Chad.
Lt. Col. Kamarudeen Adegoke, the Chief of Military Public Information Officer HQ MNJTF N’Djamena, who said this in a statement released in Maiduguri, said the terrorists were killed in 30 separate encounters.
Adegoke said that the Force Commander, Gen. Abdul Khalifa, stated this during an appraisal meeting with all Commanders of the MNJTF drawn from all sectors.
Khalifa said that the meeting was designed to appraise the operations so far in preparation for the next decisive stage.
He said that an increasing dependence on Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) by the insurgents was noted and necessary counter measures were proffered.
“About four IED making factories were destroyed in the course of the operations so far.”
He praised the decisive role of the Air component of the MNJTF/ Operation Hadin Kai for the remarkable role it played in taking out several enemy camps, equipment and commanders.
The force commander said the latest was Abu Ibrahim, an ISWAP leader (Khalifa) in the Lake Chad Tunbumas, who was a leader before in the Timbuktu General areas.
He said that the achievement was recorded due to the synergy and cooperation with Operation Hadin Kai.
According to him, more than 52,000 terrorists comprising fighters, those conscripted by force and their families have surrendered in the MNJTF and Op Hadin Kai areas of operational responsibility.
He called on the terrorists, be they Boko Haram faction or ISWAP, to abandon the criminal organisation and surrender like thousands of their compatriots had done before it becomes too late.
“The entry of the Chadian contingent provides additional firepower in terms of armoured personnel carriers, MRAPS and other combat enablers and urged the criminal Boko Haram Terrorists/ISWAP be hunted and wiped out wherever they are,” he said.
